


A Slow and Steady Descend

by Mei_kun



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abduction, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Brainwashing, Dubious Consent, Fucked Up, Horror, I'm Going To Hell For This, Imprisonment, Isolation, It's not going to get better, M/M, Magic (a bit), Memory Alteration, Military, Nonconsensual, Past/Present Timelines, Psychological, Sensory Deprivation, Sexual Themes, The Beauty and The Beast elements, Thriller, Trainwreck, Underage - Freeform, Vampire Hunters, Vampires, dark themes, like really fucked up, multiple character deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-19 15:59:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9449228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mei_kun/pseuds/Mei_kun
Summary: He was a vampire, his mate a human. Weak, breakable and so very, very easily killed.Human. And he cannot have that. To turn him, however, he needed him to be fully willing and absolutely want it  himself.--Kei Tsukishima was a vampire hunter - newly minted and on his first and, quite likely, last mission outside the walls. It was only supposed  to be a routinely, mundane task until everyone was dead and he was taken captive by the monster that slaughtered them.(HIATUS because i'm completely unprepared for the story's backstory)





	1. Chapter 1

**BELLE**  

 

"You should have been assigned to me the moment you finished training."

Kei only hummed in response as he slipped two short stiletto bladed knives in the outer sleeves of the belt strap pocket wrapped around his left thigh. The standard issued silver bladed12-inch bayonet behind his waist was already enough backup for his guns but having more weapons on his person would save him the trouble of having his older brother remind him again of the perils of being ill-prepared.

"You'd think they'd give requests from me more priority," Akiteru continued on, bad mouthing the bureaucratic system that was implemented in the military while puttering around their apartment for supplies to pack in Kei's hip bag. Three extra magazine clips and five vials of mana restorative. Supplies that were more than excessive for a rudimentary three-day patrol mission and no Private Second Class would be issued to even if he was a medic.

"I'll be transferred to you as soon as I get back," Kei pointed out. His captain had already informed him of his transfer to Akiteru's office even before he briefed him and the others of the mission.

"You wouldn't even be on field if they processed the damn paperwork right."

"I'll be fine."

"It's  _outside_  the walls, Kei."

Because a strike squad patrolling inside would have made a lot of sense, Kei thought. "I'll be careful," he said instead.

Akiteru's heavy sigh bellied the worry weighing down his finely chiseled face as he went over to Kei. "I should talk to―"

" _I'll be careful_."

He'd been smothered by Akiteru's mothering since he was seven. The older blond wanting to talk to Kei's captain just to tell the man to look after Kei for him wasn't even a surprise, it was to be expected. It was also easier to let Akiteru do as he pleased but Kei digressed. The farm community wasn't even five miles away from the wall. That near, they will still be in perfect sight of the watch towers.

But, of course, those details didn't matter to his older brother.

"You have no idea how dangerous it is outside."

Kei took his hip bag from Akiteru's clutches, internally sighing. "The most danger we'll be facing are runaway pigs."

"That's not funny, Kei."

"I wasn't joking."

" _I'm not either,_ " Akiteru admonished in clear frustration, brows creasing, broad shoulders in a tense line. "I know what's out there, Kei. You can't stop me from worrying. You're my precious little brother."

"I'm also fifteen not five."

"Older doesn't mean―"

"― _you're any more capable_ ," Kei interrupted, concluding his brother's favorite line whenever he reminded him that he was grown up enough to do things,  _God forbid_ , on his own. "I know. But I stopped being little when I outgrew you, big brother."

Akiteru made a face and Kei took that as a chance to try and put a dot on his fussing. "It'll only be three days."

"Three days too long."

"Get yourself a girlfriend and it won't be."

"I don't need a girlfriend. I don't even like anyone."

"Doesn't mean nobody's interested," Kei argued, disregarding the last bit. He buckled the thick belt of his bag around his hips, its flat bag ending up to rest on his right thigh and then securing it from moving by clipping its two smaller belts around said thigh. He regarded his brother behind his thick rimmed glasses, looking straight at the elder's brown eyes made dark by unsuppressed worry. "Ask Dr Tanaka out for dinner."

Akiteru didn't seem convinced, though he was more likely resisting the idea of going on a date instead of the insinuation of someone liking him. Still Kei ploughed on as he took the drawstring bag Akiteru also packed for him from their well-loved couch. "Ask her. You'll be surprised."

His brother's face was still tightly creased, telling Kei that if he didn't do something outrageous the elder will. Akiteru was already eyeing his bedroom door. Kei knew Akiteru had a bag ready for days-long missions sitting there  waiting to be used for assignments he no longer receive since he got promoted to Brigadier General. The promotion was to match his position when he was made Hospital Director a year ago, making him the youngest officer to attain it at twenty-five.

Kei sighed loudly, snapping Akiteru out from staring at the slightly chipped mahogany door. " _Fine_. You can come with me and have a talk with Captain Sawamura before we leave."

Akiteru's mood visibly picked up.

"But in exchange," because there was no way Kei will endure that kind of embarrassment without getting something in return, "you'll ask Dr Tanaka out."

"I don't really need a girlfriend, Kei."

"Take it or leave it."  

His brother's expression turned sour but fortunately he agreed in the end and they were out of the door and walking down the busy street after Akiteru gave Kei a pat down and deemed him well prepared to face the 'perils' of the night. All seven of Kei's squadmates were already gathered by the time they arrived at the Eastgate. Kei gave his captain an apologetic look as the dark haired man caught sight of Akiteru.

Akiteru took the man aside and Kei endured his squadmates' sniggering with a straight face, preserving as much dignity as he could.  Hopefully, Akiteru's date with the doctor will turn out well. Lord only knew how much Kei needed another person for his brother to dote on.

 

* * *

 

Captain Daichi Sawamura had easily laughed it off and told him that he can't go against a higher ranking officer's orders when Kei apologized and said he could disregard whatever it was that Akiteru told him. "I'll be your patrol partner even if the Brigadier General didn't request it," Captain Sawamura said, smiling. "You're our medic, you need protection."

Kei nodded and fell back to the middle of their loose two-line formation without arguing. It wasn't a secret that the squad's previous medic was Captain Sawamura's wife. It wasn't also a secret that First Lieutenant Yui Sawamura1 was killed in action because she got singled out by the vampires during a raid mission. Pointing out to Captain Sawamura that  successfully passing and completing his two-year training afforded him not to have a babysitter would be insensitive and crass in light of that.

Their trek to Torono continued on with an unremarkable note punctured only by Warrant Officers Ryuunosuke Tanaka and Yuu Nishinoya's rambunctious chatting. The open green plains gave them a full 360-degreeview of their surroundings and the sun was hot on their backs, hanging in the sky at mid noon light; perfect conditions to invite everyone to lower their guard. Kei took the opportunity to drink in all the open space he'd been kept from for the longest time. It was amazing; the clear bright blue sky without the monolith that was Karasuno's dreary stone walls encroaching beneath it. Bringing his gaze down from the sky to the direction of the ploughed fields up ahead, Kei could already see the beginning of the community's border fence and a few golden straw roofs of small farm huts. Given their pace, it'll only take them twenty more minutes before they arrive. That will give them plenty of time to settle before their patrol started at sundown and will also allow Kei to give the residents a check-up. Part of the mission was to give medical aid in response to the reported stomach flu going around.

The latter half of their trek would have continued peacefully for Kei if not for the personification of sunshine deciding to elbow him in the rib. Kei glared down at Shouyou Hinata, ranked first in their batch and the only one Kei was remotely acquainted to in the squad. The ginger haired ball of energy had a grin plastered on his face, bright and full of teasing. "I bet the Brig's in the watch tower," Hinata started.

Kei ignored him. Reacting would only make that fact more embarrassing.

"He also packed your bag, didn't he?" the annoyance continued in the same note.

Kei walked on like he didn't hear anything.

"Did he also―"

"Do I look like Kageyama?"

"Uh... No?"

"Then why are you talking to me?"

Hinata pouted and crossed his arms underneath his black standard issued cloak, the look of petulance matching perfectly with his equally childish face. "Because we're in the same squad now," he said.

And he probably thought that because of that he and Kei should become friends. Hinata had his own crowd he hanged with when they were still in-training; Kei had Yamaguchi. He and Hinata didn't have much interaction outside of knife combat drills because Kei's training focused more on mana manipulation and support-defensive drills rather than frontal assault.

"I'm not staying long," Kei said.

"I figured."

Kei lifted a thin brow at that. Their instructors may had lauded Hinata for his borderline freaky combat sense and prowess but, despite the shock of orange that was his hair, he wasn't known for being the brightest crayon in the box.

" _Hey_. I'm not that stupid," Hinata grouched, shooting Kei a dirty look as if reading his thoughts. "It's pretty obvious that the Brig's not gonna let you out his sight. ...I kinda understand. I'm a big brother, too. ...Well. Was."

"...Are you sure you weren't a  _small_  brother, instead?"

Hinata squawked indignant, the reaction instant as Kei expected it to be. He knew the other had always been sensitive about his vertical deficiency. Hinata then snapped at Kei, telling him not to be full of himself just because he was a tall, pasty bastard before proceeding to list the merits of being small. Kei did his best to patronize him then and again, riling and distracting the other teen further away from their earlier topic. Kei was no stranger to loss and he was sympathetic to Hinata but they weren't close to throw words of comfort at each other. Besides, even if they were, Kei wouldn't know how to actually do it right.

Their antics gradually attracted the other members of their squad; Warrant Officers Tanaka and Nishinoya first, and then Sargeant Major Kazuhito Narita and Corporal Hisashi Kinoshita, until First Lieutenant Azumane Asahi and Captain Sawamura decided to fall back into their pace and join in with the discussion they were having on battle styles suited for one's height and reach. Oddly enough, it ended up with Kei telling them about having his brother ask Warrant Officer Tanaka's older sister out.

Kei worried for a bit when his buzzed haired senior officer frowned and furrowed his brows. His worries were quickly unfounded when the older male mumbled thoughtfully, "So he's the dude Ma mentioned Saeko was cooking lunches for." A grin then bloomed on his sharp face as he clapped Kei on the back with enough force to make him stumble. "Good on you, Tsukishima! I'll tell Saeko you helped her!"

Kei made a point not mention that the only reason he guessed about his sister's romantic interest on Akiteru was because he and Yamaguchi always end up eating said lunches.

After that topic, the discussion then moved to Akiteru and his mothering and then ending with everybody whistling at Kei's excessive battle supply for what was considered as a holiday trip pretending to be a mission. One thing led to another and made Kei slip on how Akiteru almost came with them. Surprisingly, though, nobody made fun of him.

"Don't you get tired of it?" Corporal Kinoshita asked.

Kei shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"When we're scheduled for another downtime, you can come here with us again if you want," Captain Sawamura said. "I'm sure I can persuade the Brigadier General to let you."

Kei snapped his head to the man, taken aback. Captain Sawamura only smiled at him, kind and expectant, at his peripheral Kei could see the others sporting assortment of grins, all of them encouraging. Kei returned his gaze forward, putting up a bravado of nonchalance.

"So long as you're not bleeding on your kitchen floor..."  Kei started, replying slowly and taking care in keeping his voice leveled, "I wouldn't mind giving house calls after your missions."

Captain Sawamura barked a laugh while the others cheered loudly. There was an unspoken competition between officers belonging in strike squads on seeing who can go the longest without a hospital visit. It was highly improper for Kei to encourage it, given that he'll eventually be one of the doctors in the hospital, but if it was only a cut or something that only needed a few stitchings, Kei didn't think it would be a problem.

Kei hid a small smile while he listened to his squadmates chat like congregating crows, the senior officers roping Hinata into a chat about winning a bet to this and that from the other squads.

"You've gone and done it now, Tsukishima," Captain Sawamura chuckled.

"You still have to convince my brother, Captain," Kei reminded lightly.

"Consider it done."

Kei nodded. It will be nice to be free once in a while but even if Captain Sawamura wasn't able to gain his brother's permission, he would still stick to his word. He didn't have much expectations when they all first met but Captain Sawamura and his squad of delinquent looking officers had proven to be more likeable than he had anticipated.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Sawamura Yui is actually Michimiya Yui, captain of Karasuno girl's VBC and not an OC.  
> *The only use of mana is healing; Everybody has mana but not everybody can manipulate it and not everybody has enough reserves for practical application.  
> **Military ranks were based on FMA ranking system.
> 
> \---
> 
> I'm beginning to suspect that I can't write these two in canon universe... and it sounded so anime-ish when I was rereading it...... 
> 
> And... omg. wtf. i'm sorry. i have two (three, technically) pending works and here i am starting again but this idea just popped on me while I was doing researching on bone fracture therapy... wtf .............. asndiacapcaasdacbwpefbwfwefvwf. 
> 
> this will be short, though.....i think 
> 
> As for updates, I'll figure out a schedule for this and my main.
> 
> Share your thoughts? Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**BELLE**

 

The air was heavy with the scent of rust. The flesh was split raw. Skin gaping in a grotesque smile, the edges inflamed and tender. Ragged, torn cords of muscle exposed and pooled in thick, inky blood. 

A wet hiccup.

Kei glanced up at the little girl's red, blotchy face. She was five. Warrant Officer Nishinoya patted her head, giving words of comfort. Kei returned his attention to the grisly wound, concentrating, hand warming as he gathered mana.

He hovered it over the bloody gash, a hazy transparent sheen covering it like a second glove.  Mindful of his control, he allowed his mana to flow down, gently suffusing the warm energy into the torn flesh. Muscles shifted in the blood, knitting together while skin grew in a slow crawl, covering exposed tissues. The wound shrank as healing flesh ate it small bit by small bit.  

It closed after a few long minutes.

Longer than when he healed a similar type of wound for his final practical exam.

He needed to practice more if he didn't want his position next to his brother questioned.

Akiteru could heal the same wound in seconds.

Kei wiped the red stains off the small arm with a clean damp cloth. The skin was perfectly smooth and unblemished after cleaned.

"There that wasn't so bad, right?" Warrant Officer Nishinoya said. "It won't even scar."

The girl sniffed. "Thank you, big brother."

"Only the injection left," Kei said, reaching for his medpack. In front of him, the child stiffened in her stool, knocking her small knees to his, retracting her arm from the surface of the mat covered table. On his right, where the bunk beds were, came three squeaks.

Kei paused, fingers hanging in midair.  

He glanced up to the three others that frantically barged into the military's hut and disturbed his sleep. Hinata he was sure, Warrant Officer Tanaka he can imagine ...but a hulk of a man like First Lieutenant Azumane? He shook head, grabbing his medpack on the far side of the table, pulling it closer to him. He took out the pack of cotton and a new vial of antiseptic with quick efficiency as he refocused his attention to his task, leaving his incredulity behind. He wasn't going to question it further. He'd seen bigger men throw bigger fuss on sillier things.

The girl had her eyes scrunched close while Kei rubbed antiseptic on her upper arm with cotton. "Do you know how to whistle?" he asked, taking the vial of antibiotic and an injection from his pack. The girl gave a sharp nod as Kei readied the shot. "Can you do it for me now?"

The girl pursed her lips into a small _o_ , a long reedy note played out as she blew. Kei took it as his chance to quickly give her the shot.

"All right, done," he announced.

The girl turned to him, too glossy eyes blinking up to him in awe. "Done?"

Kei nodded. "Don't climb the mill again," he said making his tone pointed. He felt more than he saw the troublemakers flinch, even the First Lieutenant who didn't have anything to do with this accident.

From the explanation he received earlier, when he was cleaning the wound, Hinata and the Warrant Officers were showing off in front of the local children by climbing and then jumping off the roof of the mill using a move called―Kei scoffed at this―' _Rolling Thunder_ '. Impressed, his little patient tried to copy them and this was the result. How three fully trained combat personnel didn't notice her climb after them Kei didn't know, but he gave the girl credit for successfully sneaking under their noses. Not that he'll praise her for it. He didn't want her encouraged into doing it again. Maybe, when she was older and thinking of getting enlisted.

Warrant Officer Nishinoya picked up the child from her seat. "We'll take her back to her Ma," he said, carrying the child against his hip, appearing like a kid carrying a smaller kid. "Thanks for this, Tsukishima. Sorry for disturbing you."

Kei pulled his glove off, tossing it to the nearby bin, nodding. Someone needed to explain the blood stains on her clothes. "I won't be here if there's another emergency. I'll be continuing my rounds."

"Daichi said you should catch up on your sleep first," the First Lieutenant interjected in a mumble.

Kei was fully awake now, he won't be able to come back to sleep even if he wanted to. "I'll take a nap after I finished, Sir," he compromised. There were still twelve residences he needed to visit after doing his preliminary rounds yesterday. He'll wear himself enough for a bit of rest after that. If not, there was always coffee to carry him through their patrol and restoratives should he need it.

He doubted it.

The three troublemakers bid Kei goodbye again and the little girl thanked him and told him he was as pretty as he said he was to Kei's mortification. Sure his features were finer and softer than Akiteru's but they weren't grounds to call a six foot guy _pretty_.

Hinata and Warrant Officer Tanaka snickered. Kei glowered at them. They wisely shut up. The First Lieutenant kept to himself. Good. Warrant Officer Nishinoya couldn't or chose to not read the room.

"It's because you're _so_ skinny," the messy haired officer said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Fill up those twigs, Tsukishima."

The senior officer then promptly left, the two others following him and closing the door behind them, leaving Kei alone with the bearded First Lieutenant. "I'll get you a bowl," he said and then scurried out the door, too, like a giant mouse.

Kei sighed, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing the back of his neck as he went over back to his cot to change into his uniform and boots.

 

* * *

 

Kei winced as he came out from the hut, the high contrast between the poor lighting indoors and the unadulterated mid-morning brightness hurting his eyes somewhat. He blinked a few times to have his eyes adjusted, hearing the wooden fence opening and Captain Sawamura's voice addressing Corporal Kinoshita and Sargeant Major Narita. His eyes adjusted just in time to see the stocky man turn around and have his dark brown gaze land on him. "Eat first," the Captain said, not sounding surprise to see Kei up.

A large bowl of steaming creamy stew was offered to him as if summoned by the Captain's words. Kei received it gingerly from the First Lieutenant, his cold fingers warming when they wrapped around the wooden bowl. "If you want seconds, there's more," the man said jabbing a thumb behind him at the large cast iron pot simmering on top of the fire pit.

The stew smelled great and the hearty bits of vegetables and meat appetizing, but Kei doubted he'd be able to finish his given serving to ask for seconds. Though he had a feeling saying that wouldn't fly very well with Captain Sawamura. After having him as a partner last night, Kei found that the man had the tendency to _parent_. The man had this authoritative supportive streak that could only be described as fatherly. It was a bit troublesome but he wished Akiteru could take a page from his Captain's book and swap his mother henning with that. He was used to it but that doesn't mean it wasn't stiffling sometimes.  

Kei said his thanks and ambled over to one of the benches against the hut, hiding from the sun under the shade of the awning of the thatched roof. He ate his early lunch in silence, content on listening to his senior officers' conversation.

The Corporal and Sergeant Major will be going back to Karasuno to have water samples from the community's various wells tested as well as to request for additional water ration. At the moment, the community was depending on the military's well for consumable water. They'll be needing water for their crops soon. Captain Sawamura had a few choice words last night when he was complaining about Captain Yuuji Terushima not doing the paperwork when they subbed for their squad.  

The three officers proceeded to get themselves a serving of the stew as well. Captain Sawamura choosing to seat next to him and Kei scooted to give the man more space, he could feel the heat from having been outside long radiating from him, their shoulder almost touching due to the shortness of the bench. The Corporal and Sergeant Major on the other hand both chose to slump on bare ground and dirt, the latter using a spoon instead of slurping his bowl like the former.

"When we're deployed again you won't have chance to be civilized for a while," Captain Sawamura commented wryly, taking a spoonful of his food.

"But this feels more natural for me," Corporal Kinoshita said muffled, chewing in one side of his mouth.

The drawl of sarcasm flew out from Kei's mouth before he could tie it down.

"So you're naturally this primitive?"

There was a beat of silence before Corporal Kinoshita pointed a shaking, accusing finger at him.

" _Meeeaaaannnn!_ Cap _-taaaiiiinn!!_ Tsukishima's being mean!"

Kei almost apologized for the disrespect when his brain caught up with him but Captain Sawamura beat him to the punch.

"He's not exactly wrong."

The Corporal gaped. " _Narita!!! Back me up here!_ "

"Sorry pal, you're on your own," the shave headed officer said, nonchalant, licking his spoon.

" _First Lieutenant!?_ "

The First Lieutenant only scratched the side of his face, looking apologetic but not jumping to the Corporal's side of the ship. Kei took pity on him. "Some people like that, at least, Corporal," he offered.

The Corporal turned his beady eyes on him, face scrunched in a grateful manner. "You're such a nice-mean-nice person, Tsukishima."

"I'm more mean than nice, Corporal," Kei  replied, strained, stirring his stew with his spoon.

"Only nice people say that," the Sergeant Major interjected. "But you'll be nicer than nice people if you stay with us for good."  

"Our medical's coming up soon. Want to risk it?" Captain Sawamura asked.

The Sargeant Major's face pulled down, eyes glancing away.

Captain Sawamura took another spoonful of his food. "The only reason Tsukishima was made to stay with us for this mission was because we needed a med. Oikawa got hold of the other new one."

"Well they can keep him! We're lucky we have Tsukishima even for a bit!" Corporal Kinoshita declared. The man narrowed his eyes, cupping a hand beside his mouth and whispered conspiratorially,  " _I heard they call him Mad Dog._ "

"Whatever he is, Iwaizumi will set him straight."

The First Lieutenant agreed readily and the conversation moved to Captain Tooru Oikawa's squad and their joint mission with Captain Wakatoshi Ushijima's squad. Captain Sawamura had shaken his head, asking out loud what Brigadier General Keishin Ukai was thinking by putting said two squads in one mission. The two captains didn't get along apparently.

Their lunch continued on with a light note, finishing when Hinata and the Warrant Officers came back to have theirs. The Corporal and Sargeant Major were the first to leave, saying they'll be hitching a ride with three locals who had business in Karasuno's market. They'll be back by tomorrow. Kei was about to leave as well to do his rounds, but he got sidetracked by Hinata before he did so. The girl's mother was asking if he could drop by their hut, she wanted to thank him in person, Hinata had relayed while pointing a finger at him. Kei swatted the offending digit and asked the directions for the hut. He didn't want to make a fuss about his rendered services this morning, he was only doing his job after all, but not allowing the woman to thank him when she wanted to would be rude. He bid their senior officers a bye and a later when he extracted the information from Hinata.

His rounds didn't take up much time. Only rudimentary checkups and treating sores and aches with mana. Captain Sawamura wouldn't approve but he left Kei unsupervised. So. That was that. Besides the Grandpa from the last hut gave him sweet mochi1 as a reward. Kei couldn't say it wasn't worth the trouble if the Captain found out he was needlessly using mana.     

Following Hinata's directions, Kei followed the dirt path to the rice fields. There were five identical huts in the area, stone walled and thatched roofed and lined in rows, three to his left, two on his right. Nothing special. He saw his little patient in front of the farthest one on the left, squatting on the ground in front of something that turned out to be a wooden shed when he neared the vicinity enough. The door was seamless and snugly closed and he couldn't see the inside of the window, shadowed as it was. The shed was probably for farming tools. The little girl glanced back and saw him approach, jumping to her feet and making her pigtails fly out as she called for her mother.

" _Ma!_ The pretty big brother is here!"

Kei was hard pressed from keeping the twitch of his eyebrow in check as she ran towards him. The girl thrust her small fist at his direction. "Here, Master said you'll like these," she beamed.

Kei squatted down be on her level, offering his palm up to her. "Master?"

The girl bobbed her head. "Mhm," she intoned, dropping three pieces of dried, sugared red fruit in his palm. "Try one, try one," she urged.

Kei did her bidding and was pleasantly surprised at the familiar burst of the sweet tangy flavor in his mouth. He hadn't had strawberries since Akiteru uprooted them from Tokyo six years ago.

"You like it?"

"Yes," Kei said, his mouth pulling into a small smile. "Very much." They were his favorite.

The girl turned around and yelled at the shed, delighted, " _Master, he says he likes it!_ "

His smile dropped. His brows furrowed down as he slowly straightened up, hand inching to one of his stiletto knives, eyes trained on the shed. He hadn't heard or read reports of disturbances in Torono and they didn't see anything amiss yesterday but he wouldn't discount any chances of weirdoes trying to fool five year olds.

"Is _...Master_ there?"

"For sure."

Kei turned around, hearing a door closed, a salt and pepper haired woman coming out from the hut. The roundness of the newcomer's face and her button like-nose were features she shared with the girl. The mother, then.

"It's what she calls the cat, love," she continued, regarding him with kind, too glossy eyes. Another trait she shared with her daughter. A peculiar and worrying one. He thought nothing of it before, her daughter had been crying after all, but now he knew it wasn't due to the effect of tears. Kei decided he'll convinced his brother to let him go back to Torono . His knowledge in optics were still limited, but he'll give them a check up just in case and also so that he could have something to start with when he started investigating. "Probably because he's self entitled as a king," the woman added, unknowing of Kei's intentions.

"Most cats are," Kei replied, relaxing his stance.

"Mhm... and, _oh_ , she already gave you some."

Kei startled, feeling like he'd just been caught in the middle of mischief, but the woman was quick to put him at ease. "Oh please, don't worry, I was going to give you the whole jar anyway."

Or not.

"Ah, no. This much is more than enough, please," Kei said, smile tight. You can only get strawberries from Tokyo, and, even there, they were considered as luxury. 

The woman wouldn't have any of it and pushed said clear jar full of the treat to him. Kei tried to decline but he was distracted by a distant rumble overhead. Looking up, the sky was as clear and blue as yesterday. ... Weird. He could have―the jar was pushed into his empty hand and almost dropped down hadn't Kei had gotten a firm grip on it when the woman let go. He turned his attention back to the woman, lips set in a thin line as he offered the jar back.

"Ma'am... please. This is too much."

The woman smiled and by how pleasantness was frozen stiff in the curl of her lips and the determined insistence glinted sharply in her glassy eyes, Kei knew he didn't have chance to convince her otherwise.

" _For_ _you nothing will ever be too much, love._ "

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Mochi - pounded Japanese rice cake.  
> * **Edit:** Chapter 1 - Kei's ranking in their batch. It was pretty stupid to put him up so high. Description changed to telling that the standard training takes two years.
> 
> \--
> 
>  _So._ I think hell won't be such a lonely place with you folks down there with me. Seriously, guys, I honestly didn't expect that kind of welcome, esp since ch1 was only introductory *^*
> 
> Anyway, as usual, I don't stick to any of my plans *points at the updated tags. I need eyes on the human's side plus certain events, and it'll give me excuse to world build. The additional POV will give the story a bigger scope, meaning this _will_ be _longer_. (I'm enjoying this world too much, jeebus) 
> 
> And, I don't know how to write Kinoshita. Sorry. I needed the comic relief. Also, Kei _is_ pretty. Like _goddamn pretty_. I will fight anyone who says otherwise. *n*
> 
> Lastly, thank you and thank you! You guys are, as always, awesomesauce! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**GASTON**

Fifty yards. Tadashi nocked the arrow, standard issued compound bow pointing downwards. He breathed in, bringing the bow up, target in sight. He breathed out, feeling the wind blow softly, adjusting his aim to compensate. He breathed in, pulling the string, the pulleys helping ease the strain in his muscles. He breathed out, fingers anchored by his chin, string kissing his lips. He breathed in, target still in sight. He held his breath and let go.

The target quivered in his sight as the arrow flew from his bow and the string scraped his leather armguard. The arrow pierced far outside of the yellow marked center.

Tadashi released his breath in a frustrated sigh.

Another arrow whizzed from the shooting line, the sound of the twang of string chasing after it. It pierced straight to the center of the shooting target beside his, joining three more others already embedded in it.

“How do you do it, Kageyama?” Tadashi asked, looking over at his fellow newly minted Private Second Class and the only other person aside him in the practice range this afternoon.

Tobio Kageyama glanced back at him with too vivid dark blue eyes that were as piercing as the arrows in their quivers. His batch mate fully turned to him, inclining his head. His brows bunched up, the pointed fringe of his short black hair covering the knot that had surely formed in the middle, perpetual frown pursing thoughtfully.

Tadashi could practically see the gears in his head turning.

“I just do it,” the other teen eventually replied.

…Right. Tadashi tried to keep his face straight with no success.

“I-I mean, you know! Like get it to _fwoosh_ or _fwiish!_ ”

Tadashi scratched his chin. _Fwoosh? Fwiish?_ He didn’t get it. He and Tsukki never really got it even when they were in-training and heard such way of explanation in passing. It was Kageyama and their batch’s top one’s unique way of communication.

“Ah… just watch?” Kageyama said.

The teen went into position again, standing straight, perpendicular to the target, feet shoulder width apart, bow pointing downwards. His eyes narrowed as he nocked the arrow and brought the bow up to aim. He drew the string, the arrow flew off his bow before Tadashi could even blink. Kageyama held his position for a moment and only turned to Tadashi when the familiar _thunk_ of the arrow piercing the target sounded. Tadashi didn’t need to check whether it had hit the bullseye or not. “See? That was a _fwiish._ ”

Tadashi made a thoughtful noise in his throat and, maybe, kind of gotten it? If anything, the fluidity and the swiftness Kageyama did that shot, if translated to speech sound, would be like that. Still, though, even if he had gotten it, he didn’t see the difference between their styles of shooting aside from the speed in which they can make it. “What about the _fwoosh?_ ”

Kageyama took another arrow from the quiver slung around his hip, did the exact thing earlier until he made his aim and pointed the bow upwards in an angle before drawing and releasing. Tadashi watched the arrow shoot in a high arch and land on the target with another solid _thunk_ , off center but still inside the outermost ring.

Tadashi turned back to the other teen, wide eyed, mouth gaping.

Kageyama though didn’t seem as impressed, clicking his tongue in such a way that Tadashi could physically feel dissatisfaction slap him. “That was amazing,” he said, meaning the compliment as well as trying to appease.

“That Captain Oikawa would have hit it dead-on.”

“I wouldn’t even hit the target.”

“That’s because you’re like that dumbass. You do better with guns and knives.”

Tadashi smiled. “I can’t guard the wall with either.”

“You can be in a squad. Pretty sure you’d do well, Top 12.”

The corners of his smile stiffened. “You’re joining Captain Sawamura’s, right?”

“Yeah,” Kageyama replied, positioning himself to shoot again. He didn’t seem like he caught on with the change of subject. “When they pass here after their downtime. Tsukishima’s already booted out from the squad by now, I expect.”

“Transferred. Tsukki only got a transfer.”

Kageyama nocked an arrow. “Same difference. They’re missing another member and Kyoutani’s already taken. They’ll have to make do with a long range.”

“Low to not be specifically headhunted but high enough to still be in a commended strike,” Tadashi commented, watching him aim. “I heard you personally went to Captain Sawamura.”

Kageyama made a noncommittal sound.

“It’s because of Hinata, isn’t it?”

“Aren’t you the same?”

Kageyama pulled the string, releasing his breath, did a briefest of pause before the arrow flew off. Oh. Tadashi followed the arrow with his eyes all the way to the bullseye. He turned his attention back at Kageyama just as the other teen turned to him, fixing him under his gaze.

“You also kept yourself low in rankings so you’ll be posted for base guard.”

“That’s basically moot now, I won’t be fixed in Karasuno.”

Kageyama took two arrows from his quiver, repositioning himself. “Get yourself promoted so you can stay there permanently with your boyfriend.”

“…Tsukki and I are just friends.”

“Then do something about it when you rotate back.”

“I didn’t know you give out love tips, Top 9.”

Kageyama shrugged before he nocked one of the arrows anchoring it to the bow with only two fingers while his ring and pinky held the second arrow against his palm. He aimed the bow again at the target, took a short moment before pulling the string and releasing the arrow just as fast, the second arrow followed after a few seconds. Both hit the bullseye.

“Chances won’t always be there. Grab it whenever you can.”

Tadashi took an arrow and prepared himself to shoot. “Is that how you are with Hinata?” he asked, aiming and going through familiar motions. Locked on to his target, Tadashi exhaled this time before he released the arrow.

“I have to. That dumbass is all I have.”

The arrow pierced the target. Tadashi had still missed.

 

* * *

 

It was still approximately three hours before dawn and before Tadashi’s gate duty ended.

He couldn’t wait. Rocks had been filling his gut all night. It was peaceful. Too peaceful. Too quiet. There hadn’t been any vampire sightings, not even a measly Class D1. It wouldn’t be amiss if they were near a prominent headquarters but they weren’t. Normally they’d get one or two disturbances from those monsters.

Torchlight passed by above him, casting shadows on the bare ground, the officer’s boots thudding on the timber platform on the inside of the wall. It stopped where Tadashi stood and a second later Colonel Koushi Sugawara was peering slightly over the edge, compound bow sticking behind his back and the easy smile on his heavily scared face getting rid of some of the uneasiness sitting in Tadashi’s gut. The slate haired officer was the highest ranking officer present and was the one that welcomed him and the other new Private Second Class when they arrived at Amemaru, a major check-post-cum-village between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa. It was roughly a two-day horse ride from either HQs. “Seems like we have the answer to our slow night, Yamaguchi,” the Colonel said to Tadashi, tone reassuring. The Colonel then addressed everyone in the vicinity of the gate with a loud and clear voice. “Open the gates!”

Tadashi stepped right into the order snappily and made his way to the bar locks, the other officers doing the same. He could hear the thuds of the Colonel’s boots dashing for to the nearest stairs as he and the others pulled the heavy beams aside to allow the gate to split open. The night sky was clear and the moon tonight was bright enough to allow Tadashi to see the approaching people in horseback, all wearing what seemed to be the military’s standard issued dark cloaks. The Colonel was beside Tadashi by the time he could hear the hooves of the horses stomping on the ground. It didn’t take long before the riders arrived inside the safety of the check post, horses neighing and hooves clopping to a stop. Tadashi and the others hastily closed the gate while the Colonel exchange words with the just arrived strike squad.

“Captain Terushima. Awfully _too_ early of you, don’t you think?”

“Where are your beds, Suga? I’m beat.”

“I’m not running a hostel here. Get your horses stabled first.”

“ _Oh, come on!_ Have a heart! We took care of your pest problem tonight!”

The Colonel laughed before, “Yamaguchi, Koganegawa, Haga, Shibuya.”

Tadashi jogged to the group speedily, already knowing what the Colonel would have them do before he even gave them instructions. He let his eyes go over the strike squad as he pass them. There was a civilian. Male. Adult. He was tall, tall as Tsukki if Tadashi had to gauge, and wasn’t exactly big or broad but his presence was _encompassing_ , heavy, its oppressiveness not undermined or ridiculed by the messiness of his dark hair. Sharp golden eyes were suddenly fixed on him. Tadashi snapped his gaze towards the Colonel before they could strip him bare. His brows furrowed, tension suddenly pressing on his shoulders. He glanced back behind him and found the civilian already talking to one of the strike officers about his accommodations for tonight.

“I’m curious about him, too. Nice eye, Yamaguchi,” the Colonel said, ripping Tadashi’s attention away from the civilian. He stopped before the Colonel as the latter turned to Captain Terushima.

“He’s just hitching a ride,” the cropped haired Captain said. “He’s going with us to Torono.”

“Sorry for the trouble,” the civilian added smoothly, voice rich and deep and laced with a superior flair.

The furrow in Tadashi’s brow deepened.

“It’s fine.” The Captain returned his gaze to the Colonel, the torchlight giving a bit of glaze over his dark eyes. “He’s going to be picking up his mate there.”

“Ah, and you decided to be cupid and help.”

“You know me.”

“That I do,” the Colonel chuckled. “And while I’m not one to frown on aid for romantic pursuits, we do have rules here as you know.” The Colonel then addressed the civilian. “I’m sorry but Mister…?”

“Kuroo.”

“Mr Kuroo, yes. I’m sorry but you will have to find your accommodations in the pub. Private Shibuya can take you there.”

Prompted, said Private ambled over to the civilian. The Colonel gave the verbal order for Tadashi and the others to stable the horses before he lead the strike squad Captain to the military barracks, the latter giving idle chatter on how he was looking forward to the start of his squad’s downtime after their patrol in Torono. Tadashi grabbed the reigns of two horses, Private Shibuya and the civilian passing him by, their footsteps crunching heavily on the ground. Tadashi gave the man a last glance back before he led the horses to the stables together with the others. The night then proceeded and ended in a mundane note.

Captain Terushima’s squad and their civilian tag-along left Amemaru before Tadashi woke up at noon. He stared at the road leading to the thick forest that separated the check post from Karasuno. He could still feel the vestiges of uneasiness even when he could no longer see them, or specifically Mr Kuroo. He lingered at his spot on the wall for a few more moments before he made his way down to the practice range, tossing his uneasiness away. Some people were only really like that, intimidating and intense. Mr Kuroo haven’t done anything to warrant any such heavy worrying that, to be completely honest, Tadashi could discern himself being more suspicious than worried.

Tadashi hoped the man will be reunited all right with his lover to compensate for his silliness.

 

* * *

 

“I’ll confess,” Tadashi said, bow pointing downwards. “First thing, when I get back. I’ll confess and ask Tsukki out.”

“Don’t.”

“ _Huh?_ ” Tadashi looked over at Kageyama. After their exchange almost a week ago, he thought the other teen would approve.

Kageyama’s focus wasn’t on him but on his target fifty yards away, arrow already nocked and aimed. He drew the string and released. He didn’t held his position like always and turned to Tadashi instead, expression devoid of humor. “Ask the Brig’s permission first.”

“...Why?”

“It’s useless if you’ll only be his boyfriend for five minutes.”

“ _…pft!_ ”

Tadashi tried to keep it in but the laughter that burst from him was too strong. Kageyama inclined his head looking too perplexed at his reaction that a fresh wave of guffaws peeled off from him again. It took him a few moments to compose himself. “Akiteru’s not that bad,” he said, mouth still spread and hooked to high amusement.

“I saw how he chewed out Major Kozume for Tsukishima’s posting.”

“…He’s not that bad,” Tadashi insisted, still smiling.

“Your funeral.”

“You can send me flowers if it ends to that,” Tadashi said as he took proper position again.

Kageyama snorted.

Tadashi nocked his arrow and brought his bow up, target in sight.

“Don’t let him say no,” Kageyama said.

“I won’t.”

Tadashi drew, exhaled softly, and released the arrow.

“I’m not planning on letting him go,” he said, watching the arrow fly straight to the target.

Overhead, in a distance, he heard a faint rumble causing him to look up the sky. It came from Karasuno’s direction. He then heard the familiar _thunk!_ of the arrow when it pierced the target before he could mull the oddity over, bringing his attention down to the range to check how he did.

“You missed,” Kageyama said.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **(1)** lowest military classification of vampires, highest being Class A. More to this in later chapter(s)
> 
>  *** Weapons:** Bows are for long range attacks and stealth. Guns are only midrange and open assault attacks.
> 
>  **** Society:** Most of the remaining population is heterosexual but homosexuality is accepted and not frowned upon.  
>  \--  
> This is still setup and, hm, this is more descriptive than the last two chapters… I think. Yeah… but, uh, I’m not gonna edit the first two to conform? Apologies, it’ll be a setback if I did…
> 
> Anyway, omf? I don’t know how to write, Kags? And I want to save Hinata now? Audaifgqfqfqf 
> 
> You guys, as always, are awesome.
> 
> Cheers!


End file.
